WASHINGTON -- Overtime hockey is a rush, a 3-on-3 concoction of the best players, overflowing skill and a surplus of open ice. It's fun and nerve-racking and exciting and gut-punching and back-and-forth and final. It's the sport at its fastest, with heightened stakes and the knowledge that the smallest mistake can lose a game.

During the Stars' 4-3 overtime win over the Capitals on Saturday night in Washington, it was sublime, ending with Jason Dickinson's game-winner 3:17 into the frame to hand the Stars their third straight victory.

"That was great entertainment and that's why the NHL's a great league," Stars coach Jim Montgomery said. "Two really good teams going at it and it was back and forth, chances at both ends."

It was Tyler Seguin vs. Niklas Backstrom on the opening draw. It was John Klingberg hanging on to a speeding Alex Ovechkin in the period's first 20 seconds and Ben Bishop watching a spinning shot go to the corner. Less than 15 seconds later, it was Seguin on a breakaway, drawing a penalty but unable to flip a backhand past a diving Braden Holtby. ("I thought the game was over on that breakaway and Holtby made a great save," Montgomery said.)

It was a penalty shot for Seguin, and another save from Holtby, this one on a wrist shot glove side. It was opportunities squandered and new lives given. That was just the first 59 seconds.

"It's fun for everybody," Dickinson said. "It's what you live for when you're a kid."

Seguin rang the post on his next shift, a screaming slap shot from the right circle that pinged to safety, a cursed overtime for the top-line center now riding a 10-game goalless streak. Seguin's teammates nearly jumped over the boards to celebrate the would-be winner, and Seguin almost did too.

Dmitry Orlov went coast-to-coast to set up a chance for Washington. Jakub Vrana fired an off-balance, one-timer from the slot after a Stars turnover. Bishop was there for the save.

Then Dickinson finally got his turn on the ice. He's a fourth-line center battling for ice time and responsibility. He's not on the power play units, and figured an unlikely choice for Montgomery during the overtime period. But a defensive zone draw beckoned and the first-year Stars coach iced Dickinson, Radek Faksa and Esa Lindell.

"We just thought that he was playing well, his speed at 3-on-3 and his ability to attack the net," Montgomery said. "He's got a good shot. I know his shot got deflected, but he's been playing real good hockey, so give him the opportunity."

The Capitals won the draw and retreated to their own zone. From behind his own net, Capitals defenseman John Carlson flung a pass to Vrana at the blue line. Vrana lost his balance and set up Dickinson to re-enter the Capitals zone. Dickinson curled into the zone and wound up a shot from the top of the right circle.

He was aiming for Holtby's blocker side. He wanted to get the shot through Carlson's stick. He failed one task. Carlson tipped the shot, but the deflection beat Holtby. The exhilarating, jaw-dropping, roller coaster overtime was complete.

Montgomery said the Stars haven't worked on 3-on-3 at all during the season. None of their previous 12 games needed extra time. Only once during the seven-game preseason did the Stars play an overtime period. The team practiced it infrequently during camp, but nothing since.

"We haven't worked on it once," Montgomery said. "You got good players, just put them over the boards."

For Dickinson, the goal was the latest step in a resurgent effort for the 23-year-old former first-round pick. He had an assist in an all-around performance against the Kings on Oct. 23. He followed it up two days later with a three-point game against the Ducks, including two goals. Now, he has his first career overtime goal.

He scored with three stitches on his chin, courtesy of an Ovechkin high-stick in the first period.

"From game one, I wasn't taking a backseat to anyone or anything," Dickinson said. "I wasn't letting my mind take over and take me out of games. I was just trying to stay focused on the task and my abilities, and just let them come through. It can be difficult at times because sometimes you're not going to play in every situation. You got to go out there and maybe grind out a couple of shifts. It's not going to be pretty."

Jason Spezza added: "This year, he's kind of come out of his shell a little bit. He's more confident around the guys. He's more confident on the ice. He's playing physical, he's skating well and then he's starting to contribute. I think you're seeing a guy that's turning into a pro and realizing that he can have a big impact on games every night."

-- Stars forward Alexander Radulov returned to Dallas to receive more treatment on his lower-body injury, ruling him out of the remaining three games of the current road trip. When the team returns to Dallas after games in Washington, Boston and Columbus, Radulov will have missed eight of nine games.

"We're not sure if it's muscular or if it's actually more just proper body alignment with joints," Montgomery said.